


In Silence We Speak

by Lidsworth



Series: In Silence We Speak [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, Krennic is messed up, M/M, mention of Jyn and Lyra, mentions of abuse, of sorts, past galen/orson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 13:55:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9184657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lidsworth/pseuds/Lidsworth
Summary: Krennic pays a visit to Galen earlier than expected. Though the purpose for his visit is entirely different than originally intended.Galen knew Krennic would come. But not like this.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I absolutely fell in love with Krennic when i saw the movie, and even more when i read about his relationship with Galen. It was tragic. Very tragic. 
> 
> And I just want him to be happy :,) So here's a little series i'm doing for him. As always I'm my own beta, so I may have some mistakes. Pleae tell me what you think, I live for your feedback! Also, check me out on [tumblr](http://inkstranger.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Also I was writing this at like 2 a.m...so there maybe some shoddy mistakes.

When Krennic arrives at his doorstep that rainy evening, white uniform damp and clinging onto his body like a second layer of skin, Galen cannot bring himself to say or ask anything.  Yet one glance at the scientist tells him what a million words could not.

The Director is _changed._ And not for the better. His shoulders slump forward as if the water has weighted them downwards, and clear tendrils roll off of the tip of his nose and onto the ground (Galen cannot tell whether they are rain drops or tear drops).

Clear blue eyes wander around, and they look everywhere except at Galen (and he has no oppositions to that, for Galen can hardly bring himself to look Krennic in the face anyway).

His body trembles slightly, and for the life of him, Galen knows not whether it is the cold that causes this or something else, something worse.

Absent of its usual tanned tint, Krennic’s skin is rather pale and calmly color, pasty almost.  And Galen can make out the dark shade of an ugly bruise creeping from his collar and onto his neck.

In other words, Galen thinks that the director hasn’t just changed. He’s broken. He’s broken badly.

Erso knows little of the creature that stands hunched and shaking on his doorstep—and for all the trouble he would have brought with him, he would have much rather preferred Krennic to this (at least he could ignore the sharp pain in his chest).

He gives his colleague one pitiful look as he leans against his door frame, brows furrowing, and finally steps aside only after a long, _painful,_ telling silence.

There’s only one reason why Krennic is here like _this._ Free of his guard, of his blaster, arriving only with the clothes on his back.

He’s deserting. Out of options, he’s deserting. Why, Galen ask not, but he has a few theories given the current state of things.

It would be unwise to allow him inside. What killed the Krennic Galen knew would certainly realize he was missing, would realize that his massive brain and plans have gone away with him, and then what? There is no place in the galaxy that Krennic can hide—at least not for long.

And they _both_ know this. So why, _why_ he came here given their past, given their present, Galen does not know.

But he lets him in anyway.  

\---

Any comments or snide remarks that Krennic has about the interior of the small home, he keeps to himself.

Though Galen knows his friend, and is oddly thankful that Krennic is at least pretending to be grateful.

The air is thick in the small space, and while in the past Galen would have suggest certain means to alleviate the tension, he walks in silence now. Just because Lyra and Jyn are out does not mean that things have changed.

Eventually he leads Krennic into a spare room, smaller than what he is used to. Again, there are no complaints on his lips, though his eyes dance with a rather mischievous shade of grey. He collapses onto the bed in a flurry of white robes and a flapping cape, and with a shuddered breath, exhales as his head makes contact with the pillow.

The tension seems to roll off of him in waves, and he practically deflates into the mattress.

Galen smirks. He’s seen this before during their school years. Drunk and uncoordinated, the bedroom had practically been Krennic’s life source.

Though Galen frowns at the water. The bed will no doubt soak up the moisture, and sleeping will no doubt be uncomfortable for Krennic, not that the will mind now. But later…(Galen chastises himself at his far thinking. This will not be a long-term thing—it will not be).

So Galen thinks in the present. He takes into account that Krennic has absolutely nothing save for the clothes on his back, least of all not dry clothes.

Luckily, they are the same size.

“You need to take your clothes off.”  

Krennic breaks out of his becoming state and raises an eyebrow at his friend.

“Excuse me.”

“The water…it will wet the bed. It will make the floor slippery, Jyn may trip on it…”  

Galen doesn’t miss the look that Krennnic gives when he mentions Jyn’s name, and ducks out of the room quickly to retrieve a spare set of clothing. Too quickly perhaps.

Slowly, Krennic’s shirt is sliding off his shoulders when Galen returns. There’s a galaxy of yellow and blue on his skin, some fading and old, others new and healing.

Now Krennic meets his eyes gaze—on accident of course, and hastily corrects himself when Galen catches him looking. With an awkward shuffle, Galen drops the stack of clean clothes on the edge of his bed.

He clears his throat and looks Krennic over one more time before exiting again.

His hands are shaking when he looks for the first-aid kit in the restroom, and knocks down bottles and canisters searching for the things necessary to treat at least half the bruises on Krennic’s body.

-

They work in silence, while Krennic turns his back towards Galen with a lowered head, and Galen himself works to rub the salve evenly onto the bruised tissue.

With the pressure that Galen is applying to his skin, the wounds _should_ hurt, and a normal person would have yelped by now. But Krennic looks into nothingness, eyes blank during the entire ordeal. If he is in pain, he doesn’t show it.

His is just…. indifferent. And the implications of that  terrify Galen.

He never asks Orson about the relationships he had before he left the Empire, nor who he had them with.  The former scientist thinks that the bruises speak for themselves, and despite ill feeling still harbored towards his ex-friend, he would rather not antagonize him with insensitive questions.

His situation is shameful enough—at least Krennic thinks so. Galen can read his body language as if he has it written on his skin (and to be quite frank, it is).

“You don’t have be ashamed of this,” Galen says _this_ because there are certain things that Krennic should be ashamed of, but the abuse is not one of them, “None of this is your fault.”

Under his gentle gaze, Krennic stirs.

Instead of thanking him, he asks a question.

“Why are you helping me? I’ve done nothing good for you or your family. Not since…not since you left,” he stammers, fidgeting just slightly, “You don’t have to do this.”

Galen doesn’t think about what he says next—doesn’t use his brain. He just uses his heart (and that’s the difference between he and Krennic. Galen despite his intelligence seldom uses his brain. Krennic does the exact opposite. And it hurts Galen to realize this, because Orson has such a _big_ heart).

“You saved me from fights when we were younger, Orson,” it’s the first time he’s said his name “Patching you up is the least I can do.”

“I’ll leave, after this I’ll leave and never come back. I don’t know why I even came,” he is mixing his words now, pulling at his fingers and breathing erratically. He never counted on Galen treating him civilly, and now his guilt hurts him more than anything.

Galen breaths hard, closing his eyes and allowing his shoulders to fall. Initially he had planned to kick him out in a week, but Galen doubted that he would be fixed within the span of a week. Not even a year would suffice.

“It’s fine Orson, you can stay for however long you need,” _how will he explain this to Lyra_ , he asks himself.  On the bright side,  at least Jyn will have an uncle now.

Below him, Krennic shakes until he sobs, burying his head into his hands.

Though it’s hard to hear, almost impossible, Galen swears that he can make out a broken ‘thank you’.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to write more in this series, including the type of abuse Krennic went through. Also, I really want to work on his cute relationship Jyn (they'd be the ultimate uncle-niece duo). Again, hope you like it! Tell me what you think!


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